Edge Davao 9 Issue 03 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

WOMEN POWER. Female police officers under the Davao Police Office (DCPO) flash the clenched fist sign, which symbolizes solidarity and support, in yesterday’s flag hoisting ceremony at Camp Domingo Leonor compound where the police force of Davao City paid tribute to women law enforcers in time for the 2016 Women’s Month celebration. Lean Daval Jr.

RAILWAYS ON RODY’S RADAR By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

RESIDENTIAL candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte is not just into fighting criminality and corruption, he is also setting his radar on the development of a railway system connecting the key regions outside Metro Manila. In a statement, Duterte said the plan could underscore the need to disperse economic activities and eliminate cultural barriers. “We would rather ask other countries like China to help us build train services that will facilitate the movement not only of goods and services, but especially of people,” Duterte said. He said with the diverse

ethnic groups in the country, Filipinos are constrained to interact due to the absence of affordable and accessible transport infrastructure. “How many of you here in Bicol have explored the Moro areas in Mindanao? If only we have trains, making travels would not be that difficult. But look, what happened? Even your railway system connection to Manila is gone,” he told a gathering of supporters in Legaspi City, Albay in a recent visit. The Philippine National Railways (PNR) used to operate its south line up to Bicol region. However, most of the improvements on the rail network were destroyed

during World War II and some sections were not restored. A railway system, Duterte said, will pave the way for an “interconnected and harmonized system to transport people and their goods, their trade and livelihood.” He reiterated his stand that once he gets elected as president, he will make a drastic change to the prevailing system where distribution of public funds is disproportionately biased towards Manila. “Like the Bicolanos, the people in Mindanao suffer the same injustice when it comes to resource allocation. We produce more yet we get less than

what we deserve,” he said. Mindanao comprises 23.43 percent of the Philippines total population and corners 45 percent of the total land area. It is the country’s premier food source and agri-business producer, accounting for more than 60 percent of the country’s total agricultural exports. Of the total volume of mineral reserves, 80.54 percent of gold, 67.86 percent of copper, 42.20 percent f nickel and 42.19 percent of chromite are found in Mindanao. Yet in 2015, Mindanao’s share in the P389.86 Billion national Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) was only 27.37 percent.

EDGEDAVAO Sports Go happy with LaSalle players for Araw hoops P16

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

Jealous cop mauls ex’s BF

POLICE officer is now facing charges after reportedly beating up and firing his service pistol on the boyfriend of his ex-girlfriend. The suspect was identified as Senior Police Officer (SPO)1 Alfredo C. Pascual, 42, married, resident of Aglipay Street, Kabacan, North Cotabato. In an interview yesterday, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Chief Inspector Milgrace C. Driz said the Sta. Ana Police Station already filed charges against Pascual for illegal discharge of firearm and violation of the election gun ban implemented by the Commission on Election (Comelec) yesterday. In a police report, Pascual went to the boarding of his former girlfriend identified only as Aiko at Sobrecarey Street around 1:45 a.m. of March 5. While the the girl was sleeping along with her boyfriend identified as Abdullah Mascardo Barabag, 22 years old the suspect went inside the room of the victim, confronted the two and mauled Barabag. Barabag sustained injuries from Pascual. He also complained that the suspect also threatened him to be shot. The suspect pulled his 9

milimeter pistol from his sling bag and pointed towards her former girlfriend and Barabag. The woman tried to pacify the incident by embracing her boyfriend but the suspect fired his pistol on the ground. After the gunburst, the victim felt that there was blood on the back of her head. Sensing danger, Barabag immediately rushed her to a nearby hospital. Despite the injuries, Driz said that Aiko will not pursue a case against the suspect. Pascual, however, is still not cleared from the case because the Sta. Ana Police Precinct will be the one to file cases against the suspect. “Naa pud siya’s atubangon na administrative case (He wil also face administrative charges),” she said. She said that his unit in Regional Training Center (RTC) 12 will be the one who will filed grave misconduct case to the Police Regional Office (PRO) 12. Driz said aside from facing penalties from the criminal cases filed against him, Pascual might also be discharged from the service once he will be found guilty. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

Social media advocates launch drive for Rody

I POOR TREE. A campaign poster of administration bets Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo was posted in the tree at Barangay Tacunan in Tugbok district, Davao City. Contributed Photo

Council set to tackle P282-M SB1 By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City council is set to discuss today the P282-million Supplemental Budget No.1 which primarily carries the appropriation for the collective negotiating agreement (CNA) for local government employees. The proposed supplemental budget consists of the general fund proper, development fund and economic enterprise is set to be tackled on second reading today. Committee on finance, ways and means, appropriation chair councilor Danilo C.

Dayanhirang, earlier, said that of the total budget, about P67 million will go to the employees’ CNA. Dayanghirang said one of the allocations of the appropriation on SB 1 is the P25,000 CNA for the regular employees of the city government. He said that the city government wants to pass the budget earlier because the local election period is approaching. “We do not want to be caught by the election ban because the local election cam-

paign will start on March 25,” he said. He said the amount is for the 2,484 city employees, 173 Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) employees, 37 Davao City Slaughter House employees, and other regular employees working under the city economic enterprise. “We need to approve this so that we can release this to the employees,” he said. Dayanghirang said he has not yet seen the appropriation from the Local Finance Committee but based on the infor-

mation relayed to him, there are realignment of projects which were not implemented last year. He also said the approval of SB 1 will not be used by some local candidates for their advancement of their candidacy. Last week, the city council approved the proposed SB 1 on first reading. The councilors agreed with Dayanghirang to consider his privilege speech approved on first reading so that the committee hearing can start immediately.

preserve criminal identification records; and to obtain information on matters affecting public interest. The bureau’s office is situated within the compound of this city’s overland transport terminal. Lawyer Agusto Isidoro, NBI–North Cotabato office chief, said constituents of the province need not go the neighboring cities of Davao

and Cotabato to request for clearances when applying for a job or any other legal endeavor that may best serve their clients’ interests. Isidoro said their office could serve up to 200 clearance applicants daily. “The public here could now avail regular NBI services such as issuance of clearances, technical support like medico legal, genitalia examination,

autopsy for cases; and agent services for investigation or in filling criminal and administrative complaints,” he said. Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista said requesting for an NBI satellite office is an extensive process, but every effort of the city government paid off with the inaugural operation of the bureau’s workstation on Monday. (PNA)

NBI opens satellite office in North Cotabato

HE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) formally opened a satellite office here Monday to better serve the needs of city residents and the rest of North Cotabato province. The NBI, a division of the Department of Justice, is tasked to help in the detection and prosecution of crimes, mostly high-profile cases; to acquire, collect, classify and

T’S time for the Bisaya. That’s the battlecry of around 200 social media advocates who gathered in Cebu City last Sunday to launch a massive election campaign for presidential bet Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte. The movement dubbed as “Bisaya napud! (‘Visayan this time’),” is a Cebu-based group going all out to campaign for the Davao City mayor as the first Visayan and Cebuano-speaking president in more than 50 years. In a statement, the movement’s lead convenor Jonji Gonzales said the Duterte candidacy is simply too historic for them to pass. “For the first time,we will have a president from the South whose roots are from Cebu,” he said. Gonzales said that the netizens on social media can follow the lead of the US and Indonesia

where their current sitting presidents – Obama and Jokowi respectively – heavily used Facebook as platform for their presidential campaign. Duterte is the runaway leader in the social media exchanges which, according to on line news website Rappler, could become a major influencer in this year’s presidential election. The Philippines has one of the world’s largest Facebook accounts with over 43 million users. In addition, the country also has over 6 million Twitter account owners. Gonzales said they will expand “Bisaya napud!” throughout Visayas and Mindanao where Duterte drawing huge support. In a survey by Manila Standard which came out last week, Duterte is leading voter’s preference in Mindanao with 49

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Avila’s widow takes over Councilor’s seat

HE wife of the late Councilor Leonardo “Leo” Avila III has been appointed to take over his seat at the City Council. President Benigno Aquino III signed the appointment papers of Lorie Trinidad-Avila on February 26. Mrs. Avila will fulfill the tasks left by husband Mr. Avila who passed away on December 20 after he suffered stroke in September last year. She told MindaNews that she was informed last Friday that her appointment has been transmitted to the City Council. “Pursuant to the provisions of existing laws, you are hereby appointed member, Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao CIty, vice Leonardo Placido Ramos Avila III. By virtue hereof, you may qualify and enter upon the performance

of the duties of the office, furnishing this Office and the Civil Service Commission with copies of your oath of office,” the appointment letter stated. Last January 22, Mrs. Avila filed her certificate of candidacy as substitute candidate to her late husband after receiving her certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) from Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) on same day of her filing. She said the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, a local political party, then submitted their endorsement to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) a week after. Mrs. Avila vowed to continue the legacies of her husband until the16th City Council adjourns on June 30, 2016. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

MyDocNow telemedicine service now in Philippines

HE team at MyDocNow is pleased to announce their easy to use telemedicine platform is now available in the Philippines. The new service offers virtual medical services that connect medical professionals and patients seamlessly using a telemedicine portal that has been successful in the United States. The new platform will offer a real-time experience for patients, offering everything from video consultations with doctors, comprehensive patient education, remote monitoring from a smartphone device, delivery of prescriptions and medications, lab tests results, and doctors/nurse home visits 24/7 in selected metro areas. “All these services are combined in a single user experience with a soon to be released mobile app, not available in any other country in Asia” ... Mr. Hugh McClung, CEO MyDocNow. MyDocNow is partnering with US-based company Avizia, a pioneer in the delivery of a telehealth platform that works with large health systems and insurance providers to connect patients to health-

care specialists anywhere in the world. “The MyDocNow platform is ideally suited to support a large scale deployment for public health purposes in rural deployment in the Philippines for the people” .... Dr. Jose Miguel Vergara, Chief Medical Officer MyDocNow MyDocNow operates a call center, which is a 24/7 facility fully staffed by highly skilled nurses who are trained to perform basic triage, use the functions of telemedicine to manage the doctor/patient connection in order to facilitate a consultation and follow up with a patient and doctor satisfaction survey. MyDocNow encompasses Lifeline Rescue, a Manila-based organization with over a 100 doctors providing emergency response services in urban areas while delivering other innovative services. Since it is estimated that 65% of interactions with healthcare organizations will be conducted via mobile devices by 2018, MyDocNow is proud to offer a streamlined mobile platform that will bring both medical professionals

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Partylist to file graft charges vs Purisima for casino cam

HE partylist group Puwersa Ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) today said it would file graft charges against former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima before the Office of the Ombudsman for his alleged involvement in the diversion of casino funds intended for sports development. Apart from the filing of graft charges, PBA Spokesperson Jericho “Koko” Nograles said that PBA would also push for a deeper congressional probe on how and why Purisima was able to lay his hands on a fund that is supposed to be used to finance the sports program of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). “This is quite puzzling because for one Purisima has nothing to do with sports being the former head of the PNP.

What is his legal personality to even represent the PSC that allowed him to secure the sports body’s casino share? There is really something more about this casino fund story,” Nograles said. Nograles said the PBA is now consulting its lawyers and are collecting all the facts needed to build their case against Purisima and his possible cohorts in the reported fund diversion scam that denied hundreds of Filipino athletes the needed support for their training. PBA is referring to the alleged diversion of close to P1-billion of funds representing the share of the PSC from the earnings of First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corp., a casino operator based in Northern Luzon, from January 2012

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NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

TELEMEDICINE SERVICE. MyDocNow chief medical officer Dr. Jose Miguel Vergara (right) introduces the company’s easy to use telemedicine platform now available in the country which offers virtual medical services that connect medical professionals and patients seamlessly using a telemedicine

portal. Vergara was joined by the company’s chief operating officer Gregory Dunham (left) during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao who said by 2018 65 percent of medical services will be done virtually. Lean Daval Jr.

Dialysis cases on the rise By CHENEEN R. CAPON

crc@edgedavao.net

ASES of patients on dialysis in the Davao Region are “alarmingly” increasing by 10 percent every year, making the region as the country’s no. 5 ranked region with the highest prevalence of patients in dialysis. “Data from the Renal Disease Program revealed that a total 1,200 new cases of patients on dialysis were recorded in 2014 and that is expected to increase in 2015,” Southern Philippine Medical Center (SPMC) nephrologists Dr. Theresa Bad-ang said in yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao Annex. Bad-ang said she estimated that more than 3,000 patients suffering from chronic kidney disease are on dialysis in Davao Region which led to establishment of more private dialysis centers in the city.

“Patients undergoing dialysis in the city are getting younger and younger every year,” Bad-ang said adding the youngest patient recorded in the city is 8 years old which is suffering from inherited diabetes and worsen by lifestyle choice. Bad-ang said majority of new cases recorded in the region are from the 60 to 65 age range. She also said there was also an increase in the number of patients on dialysis among young professionals. However, she said youth ages 12 to 18 years are also vulnerable to kidney diseases. In the region, she said the top three causes of kidney failure are diabetes, hypertension, and kidney stones. Bad-ang said around 16,000 new cases were recorded in 2014. “There are

more than 50,000 Filipinos of different ages undergoing dialysis.” While Davao placed on the fifth rank, she said Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) notched the top rank of areas with the highest number of dialysis patients. It was followed Pampanga, Batangas, and Cebu. “We need to always remind the public the importance of early detection,” she said adding that each session of dialysis is around P4, 000 aside from insulin injection that costs around P1,500. On the average, a patient would need at least thrice session per week to lengthen by 70 percent the lifestyle on the first year. After five years of dialysis, she said survival rate of a patient dropped to 30 percent. Of the total 600 nephrolo-

VAW cases still rampant and rising, 7 in 10 victims are children -CWR

HEALTH UPDATE. Pedia nephrologist Dr. Tes Bañes (left) and Dr. Maria Therese Bad ang of Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) urge Dabawenyos to take care of their kidneys as the number of children and young adults with kidney

problems is alarmingly increasing. The two women were among the guests of Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao where they promoted the upcoming World Kidney Day set on March 10. Lean Daval Jr.

gists in the country, only 13 are in Davao, she said. “The doctor patient is 1:200,000 patients. That is one of the reasons we don’t have so much time for our personal lives. Most of our times are consumed of rounds and checking patients in different centers. ” She reminded the public to have a healthy lifestyle and exercise for only 30 minutes five times a week to avoid kidney diseases. She also said health buffs should avoid heavy consumption of muscle enhancement pills because it can cause kidney diseases in the long run. Meanwhile, she said the SPMC will be also adding 12 more new units of dialysis machine on top of it 54 existing machines to cater the increasing number of patients in the region.

NE woman or child is raped every 53 minutes; one woman is battered every 16 minutes. Alarmingly, the victims are getting younger and the numbers are rising. Seven in 10 victims of rape are children. This is according to a sudy conducted by the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR), a 34-year research and training institution for women. Based on CWR’s estimate, the number of recorded rape cases increased by 92% from 5,132 in 2010 to 9,875 in 2014. Violations of the Republic Act (RA) 9262 or Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Act escalated by 200% from 2010 to 2014. “Despite more than 37 laws, executive and administrative orders pertaining to protect women and children, the victims of violence are getting younger and the abusers are becoming bolder

and harsher,” observed Ms. Jojo Guan, CWR’s executive director. According to Guan, the increase of violence against women and children occured because the perpetrators know that they could get away with the crime. For instance, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that compared to the several thousands of rape cases, only 7,416 were in jail in December 2012. Fewer of these cases reached conviction. “Worse, a culture of impunity prevailed in the crimes committed by state authorities,” Guan remarked. Data from the human rights group Karapatan showed that from June 2010 to November 2015, there were 10 reported cases of military rape. The usual victims were children and indigenous women. Some of these cases involved a 21-year-old

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EDGEDAVAO

4 SUBURBIA

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

Activist nun: Scrap Mining Act A

DUTERTE IN BUTUAN. Supporters from Caraga region’s Agusan del Norte and del Sur, Surigao del Norte and del Sur and Dinagat Islands flock to Butuan City’s Montilla Boulevard to listen to Presidential aspirant and Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday, March 5. Contributed photo

DA pours P1.1B worth of projects in Comval Province, Davao Norte

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) distributed a total of P1.1 billion worth of farm and fishery equipment as well as agriculture-related projects in Compostela Valley Province and Davao del Norte on Friday. Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala led the turnover of the farm inputs, machineries, and infrastructures to the local government units (LGU) of the two provinces and to various farmer cooperatives and irrigator associations. A total of P457 million worth of projects was given to Compostela Valley Province while P646 million worth of projects was poured to Davao del Norte. The various events covered by his recent visit in the region was attended various local government (LGU) officials from the two provinces, its covered municipalities and barangays. At the forefront were farmer-leaders and beneficiaries consisted of irrigators’ associations, farmers’ cooperatives, rural-based organizations, women’s or-

ganizations, and Indigenous People’s tribal associations. The mass turnover of projects in Compostela, Compostela Valley was a continued effort towards full recovery of Typhoon Pablo affected areas and at the same time building-on the valuable agricultural resources of the province. Alcala hailed the resiliency and the unity of the local officials and agri-stakeholders in building back better agricultural facilities and livelihood enterprise for farmers to recover and improve productivity. “Hinihikayat ko ang aking kapwa magsasaka na sa lahat na ibinigay ng DA, atin po itong alagaan dahil ito ay para sa ating kabuhayan,” Alcala said. Meanwhile, the turnover of DA Projects at the Davao del Norte Sports Complex in Davao del Norte also provided venue not only to deliver various assistance but also highlighted the Administrations concern on promoting inclusive growth.

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N anti-mining activist and human rights defender has called on the next Philippine president to include in their agenda for the next six years the scrapping of the 1995 Mining Act, environmental protection and justice for victims of extra-judicial killings. Panalipdan Mindanao secretary general Sr. Stella Matutina laid down a five-point agenda at the Mindanao People’s Mining Conference last Wednesday that the next President should prioritize and accomplish. First, Republic Act 7942, also known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, must be scrapped as it has done more harm than good to both the environment and the Lumads (Indigenous Peoples), she said. Matutina also called for passage of House Bill 4315, also known as the People’s Mining, authored by Bayan Muna partylist representative and senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares. Congress adjourned on February 3 without passing the law. “Let’s shout ‘enough with

this RA 7942 and enough with corporate plunder!,” she said. The law has allowed more mining companies to operate in Mindanao, she said, adding the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has approved 381 exploration permits to mining companies as of 2014 in Mindanao. Section 20 of RA 7942 states that exploration permit “grants the right to conduct exploration for all minerals in specified areas.” She dismissed claims that government is earning from mining companies through taxes, explaining that the damaging results from mining would always outweigh the gains. “The contribution of the revenues from the mining companies to the gross domestic product (GDP) is very small but the destruction it has caused to our environment is insurmountable,” she said. Matutina, a recipient of the 2015 Weimar Award for Human Rights, also demanded justice for victims of extra-judicial killings, most of them advocates and Lumad leaders

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Region 12 records 3.16M tourist arrivals in 2015

OURIST arrivals in Region 12 have reached nearly 3.16 million in 2015, the highest for the region in the last four years, Nelly Nita Dillera, Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 12 director, said. Dillera said the region’s visitor arrivals last year increased by 581,556 or 18 percent more than 2014’s 2,576,405 She said it also surpassed their target of 2.8 million local and foreign tourist arrivals by around 360,000 or about 11.5 percent. “It mainly shows that the

perception and confidence among tourists regarding the region’s peace and order situation have been improving,” Dillera said in a press conference. A report released by DOT12 showed that day tourists comprised the bulk of the region’s visitors last year at 2,212,197 while the overnight tourists reached 939,369. In terms of foreign tourists, the agency recorded a total of 53,861 visitors, a significant increase from 31,861 in 2014. Most of the foreign visitors were from the United States and South Korea. The number of meetings,

incentives, conferences and exhibitions or MICE events hosted the region last year increased to 9,698 from only 399 in 2014. The occupancy rate in hotels and other accommodation establishments in parts of the region slightly surged to 41 percent last year, from 38 percent in 2014. This city posted the most number of tourist arrivals in 2015 with 1,204,459, followed by Sarangani with 608,423; South Cotabato with 437,343; North Cotabato with 251,175; Cotabato City with 203,176; Kidapawan City with 154,548;

Tacurong City with 131,970; Sultan Kudarat with 89,452; and, Koronadal City with 77,415. Dillera attributed this accomplishment to the region’s enhanced tourism development, promotion and marketing initiatives. She specifically cited the agency’s adoption in February last year of the tagline “#HelloParadise” as the official brand name and centerpiece of the region’s tourism campaigns. It also adopted “SOX” as moniker for Region 12 or Southwestern Mindanao. The

ALANG buntis na matataboy, walang nanay na hindi magagamot, walang lolang mapapabayaan”. Speaking before hundreds of women in Makati during the celebration of International Women’s Day, former Congresswoman and health advocate Risa Hontiveros vowed to push for a stronger law against hospitals refusing emergency medical treatment to those in immediate need of medical

care, with particular emphasis on pregnant women. “Kung ako po ay papalain na manalo, this will be my first act of office: tiyakin na patas ang laban kontra sa sakit, at siguruhin na walang mamamatay ng dahil lamang sa kahirapan,” vowed Hontiveros. According to Hontiveros, the maternal mortality rate in the Philippines is 221 deaths per 100,000 live births. “Sa totoo lang, tumataas pa ang maternal mortality rate natin,

kasi noong 1998 ay 172 lang. This can only mean that we are doing something wrong.” Hontiveros also said that majority of Filipino mothers, particularly those in remote rural areas, still give birth at home through traditional midwives or kumadrona. “Mayroon tayong kasabihan na ang babae pag manganganak, isang paa ang nasa hukay. Ito ay dahil sadyang peligroso ang panganganak. Tiyakin natin ang kaligtasan

ng mga buntis at bagong panganak, sa abot ng ating makakaya,” further elaborated Hontiveros. Hontiveros plans to amend RA 8344, also known as the law penalizing hospital deposits in emergency situations, to introduce a section for pregnant women in critical condition or facing the risk of fetal distress. “Kailangan na itong bigyan ng diin dahil nakaalarma na ang maternal mortality rate natin.”

FREGION, 10

Risa bats for stronger law vs hospitals refusing poor patients

“W

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Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (left) turns over the certificate to Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario and Congressman Anthony del Secretary Proceso J. Alcala delivers his speech to the farmers and fisherfolks of Compostela Valley Province during the Rosario for the DA-PRDP funded rehabilitation of Capungagan to Boundary San Miguel Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) in mass distribution of DA’s projects held in the municipality of Compostela. (Photo by Arjay Delino DA-11) Kapalong, Davao del Norte with a project cost of P103 million. (Photo by Elizabeth C. Torio DA-11)

EDGEDAVAO

5 ECONOMY

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

KMU-SMR decries dismissal of Nakayama workers’ complaint By CHENEEN R. CAPON

crc@edgedavao.net

HE National Labor Relations Commission Regional Arbitration Branch XI (NLRC RAB-XI) dismissed the complaint for illegal dismissal and regularization of eighty four (84) workers of Japanese-owned Nakayama Technology Corp. based in Digos, Davao del Sur to the dismay of a militant labor organization who branded the decision as “rigged.” Labor Arbiter Franico Maskariño dismissed the com-

plaint for “lack of merit” on February 11, 2016. The said decision, however, was met with a howl of protest from the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno- Southern Mindanao Region (KMU-SMR) who said Maskariño allegedly issued a rigged decision. Carlo Olalo, spokesperson of KMU Southern Mindanao, condemned the decision of the commission on the case. “Despite overwhelming evidence that the workers

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were indeed illegally dismissed and that they were due for regularization, LA Maskariño totally disregarded this and instead ruled in favor of Nakayama, a decision we cannot help but suspect as partial,” said Carlo Olalo, said in the same statement. Nakayama allegedly dismissed 157 of its workers last August 3, 2015 after it promised to regularize the former but later backtracked and

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after a press briefing yesterday to announce their respective promotions and activities in support for the upcoming 16th anniversary of Wiltelcom on March 9 to 15 in Davao City and on March 17 to 23 in Tagum City. Lean Daval Jr.

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

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6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

PAL mulls Davao-SG flights By CHENEEN R. CAPON

crc@edgedavao.net

ATIONAL flag carrier Philippine Airlines is studying the possibility of establishing a new route connecting Davao to Singapore and other key cities in the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines- East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). “This would allow us to remain competitive while addressing the need of the market,” PAL spokesperson Cielo C. Villaluna told reporters in an interview after the launching of the Cebu-Los Angeles,

California direct flight which will commence on March 15. Villaluna said PAL president Jaime J. Bautista expressed confidence that with the Asean integration which involves a more relaxed air regulations, desires of connecting Mindanao to other key cities in the BIMP-EAGA will be realizable. Air connectivity between key cities in the sub-economic region was identified as one of the priority areas of development which member nations should zero in.

Megaworld Group to spend P55-B for projects, land banking this year

Philippine senior official to the BIMP-EAGA Prudencio Reyes earlier said the connectivity is essential in sustaining and strengthening trade and commerce. However, the need for air linkages between key cities in Mindanao like Davao and other hubs in the region should be supported with sustained traffic and load factor of passengers. Villaluna said the PAL is also studying the possibility of establishing Davao as its hub for Mindanao. Davao is one of our im-

portant markets because of the large volume of leisure travelers from the city, she added. At present, Davao City is one of PAL’s key points in Mindanao apart from Cagayan de Oro City and Butuan City. She said the flight frequencies between Manila and Davao total 8 round trips daily, making this route one of the busiest in PAL’s domestic route network. Meanwhile, PAL is encouraging Dabawenyos to avail of its newest international ser-

vice between Cebu and Los Angeles, California starting Tuesday next week as part of the celebration of its 75th founding anniversary. This latest offering by PAL is part of the ongoing route expansion in response to market demand. “With daily flights between the two points, Dabawenyos can easily hop on any Davao-Cebu flight and then fly to any of the international points PAL flies to from Cebu,” Bautista said in a statement. Baustista said Davao-Cebu

flights depart daily at 10:30 a.m. and arrive in Cebu at 11:40 a.m., while Cebu-Davao flights leave daily at 8:40 a.m. and land in Davao at 9:50 a.m. The PAL Cebu hub, he said, now operates flight to Nagoya thrice weekly; Osaka, seven flights weekly; Tokyo (Narita, 14 flights weekly); Seoul (Incheon), twice weekly. In the domestic market, PAL Cebu operates flight to points within Visayas through Tacloban, Bacolod, Iloilo and Mindanao through Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and Butuan.

Property giant to focus on growing rental income

ROPERTY giant Megaworld, along with its subsidiary brands Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI), Empire East Holdings, Inc., and Suntrust Properties, Inc., are allocating P55-billion in capital expenditures (CAPEX) this year as it aggressively expands its rental portfolio, particularly its mall and office businesses. Seventy-five percent of the capital spending for the year will be used for development projects, particularly on the construction of new malls, commercial centers, office buildings and residential projects in townships, while 25-percent will be used for land acquisition and investment properties. This year, we will start developing our new townships in Pasig City, Bacolod and Pampanga while we ramp up our office and mall developments across our existing townships. We are bullish on the office and retail sectors because we see a remarkable growth in these businesses,” says Jericho P. Go, senior vice president, Megaworld. The Megaworld Group, which also includes residential brands Suntrust Properties, Inc., Empire East Land Holdings, Inc. and Global-Estate Resorts, Inc., is set to launch 14 residential projects in Met-

ro Manila, Pampanga, Iloilo, Tagaytay, Cavite, Davao, Baguio and Batangas this year. The group is also launching fourteen (14) office towers, malls and commercial centers in McKinley West, Uptown Bonifacio, The Mactan Newtown, Iloilo Business Park, Arcovia City, SouthwoodsCity, The Mactan Newtown and Alabang. “We will certainly achieve the P11-billion rental revenue target by year-end,” reveals Go. In 2015, the Megaworld Group has completed 16 residential projects and six BPO office towers with retail components across its integrated urban townships. To date, Megaworld is the master-developer of twenty (20) integrated urban townships across the country and its total land bank spans over 4,000 hectares across the country. Eleven (11) townships are in the regions while nine (9) are in Metro Manila. The company is also one of the biggest property developers in the Makati Central Business District, the country’s premier financial center, with a total of 27 residential and office towers built today. “Several townships are already mature, which means, we have already built in them

FMEGAWORLD, 13

SM City Davao assistant mall manager Engr. Warren Rey Bautista announces the scheduled activities of the mall for this year’s Araw ng Davao celebration including the much awaited Araw ng Davao Sale set on March 11 to 20. Bautista was a guest of Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Banks urged to tighten AML controls A

SENIOR member of Congress has called on banks to further tighten their risk controls against tainted foreign money following reports that some $100 million supposedly stolen by computer hackers from a financial institution in Bangladesh managed to sneak in and out of the Phil-

ippines before the authorities could pounce on the cash. “We are counting on the banks concerned to promptly address their apparent deficiencies in the fight against potential money laundering in light of the supposed incident,” House Deputy Minority Leader and LPG-MA Rep. Arnel Ty said.

“We must stress that the banks are our first and last lines of defense against suspected ill-gotten funds coming in from abroad,” Ty, a member of the House games and amusements committee, said. The Senate will start its inquiry Tuesday into the alleged laundering of the $100 million,

which was supposedly filtered through at least three casinos in the country. The case is already being investigated by the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the National Bureau of Investigation. Money laundering is the

2016,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Emmanuel F. Esguerra. As of February 2016, domestic petrol prices displayed downward price adjustments based on figures in the same month in 2015: gasoline (-10.4%); liquefied petroleum gas (-11.7%); diesel (-26.4%), and kerosene (-22.6%). Inflation in food items was also slower due to ample supply conditions. Slower upward price adjustments were observed in fish, other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products, milk, cheese and eggs, fruits, and vegetables. “The implementation of programs related to mitigating the impact of El Niño such as cloud seeding operations, in-

stallation of alternative irrigation systems, crop rotation, the use of hybrid crop varieties, and other government assistance for farmers, helped ease price pressures on food,” said Esguerra, who is also NEDA Director General. Core inflation, which excludes volatile prices of energy and food, likewise eased to 1.5 percent in February 2016 from 1.8 percent in the previous month. “This low inflation environment is likely to continue as external downward pressures remain. Notably, global oil prices are expected to be lower by 27 percent on average in 2016,” the Cabinet official said. Esguerra warned of the potential negative impacts of

FBANKS, 13

Low oil prices, ample food supply ease inflation in February ‘16

HE continuous decline in global oil prices and slower price increase in food items slowed inflation at 0.9 percent in February 2016 from 1.3 percent in the previous month, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). This low inflation was largely due to downward price movements in transport, and electricity, gas and other fuels and slower increases in the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, clothing and footwear, among others. “The persistent global oversupply and record stockpile levels of crude oil contributed to this softer inflation, as prices of Dubai oil, Brent and West Texas Intermediate continued to weaken in January

FLOW OIL, 10

EDGEDAVAO

7 SCIENCE

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

Watch out for

‘The Big

By Henrylito D. Tacio

(Second of Two Parts)

ERHAPS no other natural disaster can cause so much damage so suddenly and in so little time as earthquakes. It is surprising that nobody wants to talk about earthquakes in earthquake-prone Philippines. When asked if a big earthquake that hit Baguio in 1990 will happen in Davao City, a woman in her late forties just said: “God forbid.” Then, she made a sign of a cross. The woman was not alone. A survey conducted by this writer showed that most people in Davao City and nearby towns are ill-prepared should earthquake happen any time of the day. “It’s one issue Filipinos would rather not talk about or do something about,” wrote award-winning journalist Carolyn O. Arguillas. “Until it’s too late. (Earthquake) is one issue that we should not avoid but confront head-on.” Intensity scale Earthquakes send shock waves through the earth. The amplitude of these seismic waves indicates the force of an earthquake and is measured on a scale devised by Charles Franci Ritcher known as the Richter scale. However, the Philvolcs has been using since 1996 a different intensity scale which “based on relative effect to people, structure, and objects in the surroundings.” Let’s take a closer look at them:

nausea are experienced by some people. Hanging objects swing moderately. Still water in containers oscillates moderately. IV. Moderately strong: It is felt generally by people indoors and some people outdoors. Light sleepers are awakened. Vibration is felt like the passing of a heavy truck. Hanging objects swing considerably. Dinner plates, glasses, windows and doors rattle. Floors and walls of wood-framed buildings creak. Standing motor cars may rock slightly. V. Strong: Generally felt

bells may ring. Old or poorly built structures suffer considerable damage. Some wellbuilt structures are slightly damaged. Some cracks may appear on dikes, fish ponds, road surfaces or concrete hollow block walls. Limited liquefaction, lateral spreading and landslides are observed. Trees are shaken strongly. VIII. Very destructive: People are panicky. People find it difficult to stand even outdoors. May well-built buildings are considerably damaged. Concrete dikes and foundations of bridges are destroyed

“The only way to avoid disasters caused by earthquakes is to prepare for them.”

-- MARIA ELENA PATERNO, AUTHOR OF EARTHQUAKE (TAHANAN BOOK FOR YOUNG READERS, 1994)

by most people indoors and outdoors. Many sleeping people awakened. Some are frightened; some run outdoors. Strong shaking and rocking are felt throughout the building. Hanging objects swing violently. Dining utensils clatter and clink; some are broken. Small, light and unstable objects may fall or overturn. Liquids spill from filled open containers. Standing vehicles rock noticeably. Shaking of leaves and twigs of trees is noticeable. VI. Very strong: Many people are frightened, many run outdoors. Some people lose their balance. Motorists feel like driving with flat tires. Heavy objects and furniture move or many be shifted. Small church bells may

Earth’s plate (from “Fragile Earth: Views of a Changing World” published by Harper Collins Publishers, 2007) I. Scarcely perceptible: It is perceptible to people under favorable circumstances. Delicately-balanced objects are disturbed slightly. Still water in containers oscillates slightly. II. Slight felt: It is felt by few individuals at rest indoors. Hanging objects swing slightly. Still water in containers oscillates slightly. III. Weak: It is felt by people indoors especially in the upper floors of buildings. Vibration is felt like the passing of a light truck. Dizziness and

One’

ring. Wall plaster may crack. Very old or poorly built houses and man-made structures are slightly damaged, though well-built structures are not affected. Limited rockfalls and rolling boulders occur in hilly to mountainous areas and escarpments. Trees are noticeably shaken. VII. Destructive: Most people are frightened and run outdoors. People find it difficult to stand in upper floors. Heavy objects and furniture overturn or topple. Big church

by ground settling or toppling. Railway tracks are bent or broken. Tombstones may be displaced, twisted or overturned. Utility posts, towers, and monuments may tilt or topple. Water and sewer pipes may be bent, twisted or broken. Liquefaction and lateral spreading cause man-made structures to sink, tilt or topple. Numerous landslides and rockfalls occur in mountainous and hilly areas. Boulders are thrown out from their positions particularly near the epicenter. Fissures and fault rupture may be observed. Trees are violently shaken. Water splashes or slops over dikes or banks of rivers. IX. Devastating: People are forcibly thrown to the ground. Many cry and shake with fear. Most buildings are totally damaged. Bridges and elevated concrete structures are toppled or destroyed. Numerous utility posts, towers and monuments are tilted, toppled or broken. Water and sewer pipes are bent, twisted or broken. Landslides and liquefaction with lateral spreading and sandboils are widespread. The ground is distorted into undulations. Trees are shaken very violently with some toppled or broken. Boulders are commonly thrown out. River water splashes violently or slops over dikes and banks. X. Completely devastating: Practically all man-made structures are destroyed. Massive landslides and liquefaction, large scale subsidence and uplifting of landforms, and many ground fissures are observed. Changes in river cours-

Active faults and trenches in the Philippines (from DOST)

es and destructive seiches in lake occur. Many trees are toppled, broken or uprooted. Always be ready “We believe that the key to saving lives and properties in times of natural calamities like typhoons, floods or earthquakes is preparedness,” says Secretary Mario G. Montejo of the Department of Science and Technology. “So we must take a proactive role in making our communities safer and more resilient.” This must be the reason why Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) urged every Filipinos to evaluate the structural soundness of home, office and buildings they frequent. “Determine the safest areas both inside and outside,” said a Philvolcs primer. The primer also recommends that every home must be prepared for the eventuality. “Secure heavy furniture to prevent sliding or toppling over by affixing them to walls or floors with brackets or tying to grillwork. Keep heavy objects on lowest shelves. Check hanging objects (like ceiling fans, mirrors, heavy picture frames). Affix bolts or hooks on cabinet doors especially those in the kitchen to prevent them from flying open and allowing breakable items to spill out. Keep only very necessary chemicals and flammable liquids in un-

breakable containers. Store them on low shelves.” The PHILVOCS primer also suggests setting up an earthquake readiness plan at home. “Make sure your children, elderly members and house helpers are properly instructed on what to do. Practice drills with them. Familiarize yourself with First Aid procedures. Keep a manual handy in case you forget. Make sure everyone knows the locations of and how to switch off the electrical and water mains. At home (and at work), master the quickest, safest way out,” it says. The primer also recommends preparing a small bag – no more than 5-6 kilograms – for each member of the family. Among those that should be packed inside the bag are two changes of clothes, a blanket, a towel, basic toiletries, sturdy shoes, flashlight, batteries, a bottle of water, biscuits candy, a small radio, any medications for chronic ailment suffers, first aid kit, contact phone numbers and addresses. Important papers (passport, recent medical records, bank books, insurance papers, etc.) must also be included. What should a family do during an earthquake? The primer says: “Stay calm. Call out instructions to children or others who seem to be in panic.” If you happen to be inside

a building that is structurally sound during an earthquake, you must stay there. However, if you have doubts about the building, leave immediately by the safest, quickest route. Once you are outside the building, look for an open area where you can stay. But you must stay away from power lines, telephone poles, and trees. If objects are falling, brace yourself in the doorway of a building. If driving, pull over and stop. You should not cross bridges, over or underpasses. If on a mountain road, pull over and stay clear of ridges. If by the sea, move inland to higher ground. After an earthquake, check yourself and other members of the family. In addition, check for fire, chemical spills and act on them right away. In case of doubt about leaks or damage, switch off all electric main fuses and turn off gas tanks. If you must evacuate, take your small bag with you and leave message with a contact person as to where you are headed. Do not go sightseeing. Be prepared for aftershocks. Do not enter damaged buildings because aftershocks can finish them off. It is said, and you should heed this, that natural calamities like earthquake happen when you have forgotten about them.

EDGEDAVAO

8 VANTAGE

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

EDITORIAL

Alarming dialysis cases

his one should be cause for concern. The cases of patients on dialysis in Davao Region are “alarmingly” increasing by 10 percent every year, making the region as the country’s no. 5 area with the highest prevalence of patients in dialysis. According to a data from the Renal Disease Program, a total 1,200 new cases of patients on dialysis were recorded in 2014 and that is expected to increase in 2015. Health officials in the region said that more than 3,000 patients suffering from chronic kidney disease are on dialysis in Davao Region which led to the mushrooming of more private dialysis centers in the city. The age of patients has also gone down to as young as eight years old suffering from inherited diabetes and worsened by lifestyle choice. Majority of new cases recorded in the region are from the 60 to 65 age range. She also said there was also an increase in the number of patients on dialysis among young professionals. Young patients

EDGEDAVAO

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aged 12 to 18 years are also vulnerable to kidney diseases. The top three causes of kidney failure are diabetes, hypertension, and kidney stones. Dialysis does not come cheap. Families with patients undergoing dialysis practically suffer from the financial burden of having to sustain the required sessions. A session would fetch around P4,000 aside from insulin injection that costs around P1,500. On the average, a patient would need at least thrice session per week to lengthen by 70 percent the lifestyle on the first year. After five years of dialysis, she said survival rate of a patient dropped to 30 percent. Given this alarming health situation, the public is strongly reminded to have a healthy lifestyle and engage in regular exercise at least 30 minutes five times a week to avoid kidney diseases. More importantly, watching one’s diet and regularly seeing a doctor will benefit everyone seeking to have better quality of life.

AGUSTIN V. MIAGAN JR Circulation

GENERAL SANTOS CITY OFFICE CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING MARKETING OFFICE

LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager EDMUND D. RENDON Unit 6, SouthbankMarketing Plaza Velez-Yacapin Sts. Specialist General Santos City Cagayan de Oro City Mobile: (Smart) 0909-424-7990 Tel: (088) 852-4894

MANILA MARKETING OFFICE

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EDGEDAVAO

HE Lord God, the Bible tells us, created man “in his own image.” He had given Adam – the first man – the power to control all His other creations. But God observed that Adam was lonely – he was alone. Genesis 2:21-23 chronicle how the first woman came to be: “So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man.’ The first marriage took place after that. In fact, Genesis 2:24 is perhaps the most-often quoted verse during weddings: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” The Bible story came into my mind when I heard a little girl who was asked during a Sunday school if she knew the story of Adam and Eve. “Of course, I do,” she replied. “First God made Adam and then looked at him and said, ‘I think I can do better,’ so He created a woman.” Here’s another version: A small child came home from Sunday school and told her mother: “The teacher told us how God made the first man and the first woman. He made man first, but the man was very lonely with no one to talk to, so God put the man to sleep, and while he was asleep, God took out his brains and made a womanout of them.” Then, troubles start. Former British

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

…And God created woman

Prime Min- THINK ON THESE! ister Margaret Thatcher said: “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.” Joseph Conrad con- Henrylito D. Tacio tends: “Being henrytacio@gmail.com a woman is a terribly difficult task since it consists principally in dealing with men.” With women, there are always two choices. Will Rogers advices: “There are two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither one works.” Ihre Freundin said: “There are two kinds of women in the world: those who take a man’s strength and those who give a man strength.” Now talking about two types of women, a psychoanalyst shares: “My women patients can be divided into two categories: the ones who work and the ones who stay at home. The former suffer from a guilt complex, the latter from frustration.” Have you ever wondered why there are few women in combats? Elaynse Boosler replies: “We have women in the military, but they don’t put us in the front lines. They don’t know if we can fight, if we can kill. I think we can. All the general has to do is walk over to the women and say, ‘You see the enemy over there? They say you look fat in those uniforms.’” This story contradicts, however. A foremost anthropologist supports the idea of

coed conscription, but draws the line at letting the ladies be battleaxes. Her reason: “I do not believe in using women in combat, because females are too fierce.” Military generals, are you listening? Here are some words of wisdom about women from noted personalities. Oscar Wilde: “Woman begins by resisting a man’s advances and ends by blocking his retreat.” Aristotle Onassis: “If women didn’t exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning.” In 1966’s ‘The Second Neurotic’s Notebook,’ Mignon McLaughlin wrote: “Women are never landlocked: they’re always mere minutes away from the briny deep of tears.” In 1933’s ‘Literature in My Time,’ Compton Mackenzie penned: “Women do not find it difficult nowadays to behave like men, but they often find it extremely difficult to behave like gentlemen.” Are men and women really different? Elissa Melamed noted: “Men look at themselves in mirrors. Women look for themselves.” Oscar Wilde differentiates: “Womenare never disarmed by compliments. Men always are. That is the difference between the sexes.” Will Rogers contends: “Every time a woman leaves off something she looks better, but every time a man leaves off something he looks worse.” Elayne Boosler argues: “When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping. Men invade another country.” Yul Brynner quips: “Women have an unfair advantage over men: if they can’t get what they want by being smart, they can get it by being dumb.” Here’s another advantage of being a woman. “I’d much rather be a woman than a man,” Gilda Radner remarks.

“Women can cry, they can wear cute clothes, and they are the first to be rescued off of sinking ships.” If a man is looking for attention, don’t expect it from a woman. David Garnett reminds: “Women, it is said, do not concentrate. They can attend to the subject in hand, but their attention has not the wholeheartedness of a man’s. If so, it is just possible that since women have been cooking the supper, mending clothes, listening to half a dozen children talking at once, and keeping them good-tempered and amused since before the dawn of history, they have learned to be able to attend to several things at a time. A man, on the other hand, focuses his mind.” British actor Michael Caine has a different tale: “One of the most important things for a woman, I think, is to respect herself. ‘Cause a woman usually gets from men the same amount of respect she has for herself, almost to the ounce. Men have a second sense about women and when they sense that a woman has no respect for herself, they’re very quick to follow in her footsteps.” As much as possible, never ask a woman how old is she. You’ll never know: “Women have a passion for mathematics. They divide their age in half, double the price of their clothes, and always add at least five years to the age of their best friend,” Marcel Achard points out. Why is this so? “Age to women is like Kryptonite to Superman,” says Kathy Lette. At one time, a thirty-something woman applied for a job. The receptionist gave her an application form and one of the queries was about age. The woman wrote: “Nuclear.”

name suggests SPECKS OF LIFE she is Chinese and the main shareholder of Country Garden Shareholdings. She inherited $16.2B from her father. Yang is Fred C. Lumba the YOUNGEST female billionaire in Asia, the 24th richest person in China. After the financial crisis in the country, her net worth fell to $5.1B. LILLIAN BETTENCOURT ranks number 6. Her father founded L’OREAL in 1907 which later on rose to become the largest cosmetics company in the world. One of the company’s shareholders, Lillian is worth $36.6B and is currently the richest woman in the world and 10th richest person in the world. At number 5 is QUEEN ISABELLA I of Castile. With husband Ferdinand of Aragon, they ordered the infamous Spanish Inqui-

sition – the forced exile and conversion of Spain’s Jews and Muslims. Isabella financed the Christopher Columbus expedition to the New World. The Spanish Inquisition was an extreme tactic but placed Spain as the first global power in Europe. Isabella had an arsenal worth 1.45M in gold coins. Everybody, historically speaking, is familiar with Cleopatra, ruler of the Ptolemaic kingdom in Egypt. Remember the love story of Julius Ceasar and Cleopatra we read in history books? Through inheritance and pure savvy, she was able to amass great wealth estimated by historians to be around $95.8B that placed her as the number 4 richest woman of all time. At number 3 is CATHERINE THE GREAT who reigned longest as the Czarina of Russia from 1762 to 1796, a period of 34 years, right? Under her reule, Russia rose to great power in Europe. Her riches is estimated to be at $1.5 Trillion. Wow! Even if we live ten or twenty lifetimes, we may not be able to spend all this fortune. Number 2 spot goes to HATSHEPSUT, one of Egypt’s most successful pharaohs.

She is considered the richest female ruler in Egypt’s history and the 5th pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. She also established trade routes that brought her dynasty great wealth. Her fortune is estimated to be around $2B. Topping this elite list of the world’s richest women of all-time is EMPRESS WU ZETIAN. A former concubine of the emperor of China, she expanded China’s reach into central Asia. Over 300 million units of currency were produced during the Tang dynasty. Wu was the ONLY female ruler in Chinese history to reign for almost half a century. There you are. As you have read, you might notice that Filipino billionaires still pale in comparison with the riches amassed by the top ten in this list. I do not know, however, if there are people in government who are trying to accumulate as much wealth as they can to approximate even a fourth of the riches of these women. Hahahaha. Ooops, sorry did I hurt someone? (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com). God bless the Philippines!

10 wealthiest women of all time

AM presenting a topic today that might prick the interest of our women readers. Somehow, and most of the time, only the richest men in this universe have been presented to the public. Let’s start the ball rolling. No. 10 ranked is CHARLENE de CARVALHO HEINEKEN. Beer drinkers are probably aware of her name that bears the world famous drink. She is a Dutch-English businesswoman who owns 25% of the beer brewery Heineken International. Her net worth is $12.5B. No. 9 is ANN COX CHAMBERS has stake in the American media empire worth around $17B, according to Forbes magazine. She is the 28th richest person in the US and the 53rd in the world. SUZANNE KLATTEN occupies 8th place. Per Forbes mag, she is the richest woman in Germany and 54th richest in the world. As of 2016, Klatten’s net worth is estimated at $19B, much of which was inherited from her father. She has 50.1% stake in the pharmaceutical manufacturer ALTANA and 12.5% in BMW. Number 7 finds YANG HUIYAN. As her

10 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

Partylist... FROM 3 to June 2015. PSC chairman Richie Garcia said the sports commission did not receive the amount. According to a report by Philippine Star columnist Jarius Bandoc, there are 40 documents showing that the P1-billion PSC fund from First Cagayan Leisure was received by certain “Alan La Madrid Purisima” although he has no official connection with the sports body. “Who authorized First Cagayan Leisure to direct the funds to Purisima and why?”

Nograles asked as he noted that these are the questions that need to be answered if when an investigation is conducted on the casino fund diversion scam. “It’s already bad that the country’s sporting sector has been long suffering from neglect and funding constraints but it’s even worse that the very little funds that are supposed to be for the training of our athletes actually end up in someone else’s pocket,” Nograles lamented. Nograles added that the

claim of Chairman Garcia that PSC has been getting only 2.5% from the country’s casino operators should also been looked into. He said the law requires casino operators to remit 5% of its earnings to the sports commission. Nograles said that a congressional investigation on this casino fund diversion issue will be PBA’s first order business in the next Congress as he noted that there is really a need to conduct a full inventory on all sources of funding for Philippine sports development.

who joined the movements against mining operations in Mindanao.

Lumad communities and the disbandment of paramilitary groups. She said militarization has displaced several indigenous people (IP) from their communities in the guise of “Oplan Bayanihan.” The next President “should cancel all militarization policies which are linked to mining operations that are extractive and pollutive,” she said. “Twenty-one years of liberalization of the mining industry has resulted in massive destruction of the environment through deforestation, loss of vegetation and biodiversity. Floods, landslide, and other environmental disaster are just natural agents that have triggered the already denuded and eroded natural terrains affecting thousands of farmers and indigenous families in Mindanao,” she said.

measure, along with the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill as well as lobby the National Industrialization Bill in the next congress. The GARB seeks to dismantle land monopolies and ensure fair distribution of land. The People’s Mining Bill provides that government and community shares will be increased, including shares of the national government, local government, indigenous cultural communities’ royalty, and scientific research and development fund. “It allows only mining permits which Filipinos can derive the most benefit from and which will support the strategic and prudent extraction of minerals needed for industrialization. In terms of large-scale mining, it scraps the controversial FTAA (Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement) and EP (Exploration Permit). It retains other permits in RA7942 but considerably reduces their scope and rights,” the mining bill’s primer said. The proposed law bans open pit mining, which Casilao said is more destructive. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

Activist... FROM 4

BLUE OCEAN. Global Impact Philippines (GIP) founding director Amy Muranko-Gahan talks about the upcoming seminar and workshop on the human trafficking spearheaded by GIP in partnership with the Ateneo de

Social... FROM 2

Davao University (ADDU) slated on Friday at the ADDU which aims to combat the rampant trafficking of children in the country. Gahan graced yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City. Lean Daval Jr.

percent of the voters are likely to vote for him. His closest pursuer is administration bet Mar

Roxas with 20 percent. In the recent Pulse Asia survey, Duterte is also leading in Cebu and Bohol with over 31

percent of the voters saying they will vote for the maverick mayor. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

and patients in the Philippines into the next generation of healthcare. MyDocNow is also partnering with Davao Doctors Hospital to deploy its services. “We see the MyDocNow service as an extension of our objective to be a technology leader in delivering new services to Philippine patients as well as Beyond our Borders.- ... Raymund del Val, President & CEO. The company will offer its services to doctors, the general public (via apps in Google Play and Apple Stores) and insurance companies. The new virtual healthcare

delivery system will make it possible for healthcare providers in the Philippines to save time while providing premium services to patients. Patients will receive the quality care of a doctor at their convenience. It is simple, secure and confidential. For its introduction service, MyDocNow offers a free consultation with its registered doctors for the first 200 patients. Simply call a toll free number 1-800-10-835-3633, or Smart 0921 5937059, Globe 0977 7063924, or go to www. MyDocNow.org and “Sign Up”,

and a nurse will contact you. Doctors are available Mon-Fri 9am to 6pm. About MyDocNow MyDocNow was created by a dedicated and dynamic team of medical and health professionals, information technology specialists, and prominent business leaders. About Avizia Avizia is revolutionizing the Telemedicine industry - the first to deliver an end to end telemedicine platform combing HIPAA compliant communication with clinical encounter management software and industry leading video devices.

She also said she will push for stiffer penalties for hospitals that do not comply with the law, and she will also provide for incentives for private hospi-

tals to allocate a special section for indigents. “We should add teeth to the law, but we should also incentivize compliance, increase public financing, and

create a policy environment where the public sector and the private sector can work together to bridge the health care gap.”

region comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Kidapawan, Tacurong and Cotabato. Region 12 is also refered to as Soccsksargen, hence SOX, to make it more “catchy and easy to remember.” “Our tourism industry has gained tremendous momen-

tum these past years because of our enhanced campaigns. In fact our average annual growth rate for tourist arrivals of 118.90 percent is so far the highest in the entire Mindanao,” Dillera said. DOT-12 recorded a total of 296,247 tourist arrivals in 2012; 831,683 in 2013; 2,576,405 in 2014; and, 3,157,961 in 2015.

The agency has set a regional travel and trade expo next month in Makati City that will mainly feature the region’s top products and world-class tourist destinations. Dubbed “Treasures of SOX: a Travel and Trade Expo,” the event is slated on April 11 to 14 at the Glorietta Mall’s activity center in Ayala Center, Makati. (MindaNews)

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

EJKs Matutina said that under President Benigno Aquino III, there have been 71 extra-judicial killings, 51 of them involving Lumad leaders and environmental advocates. “Under President Aquino’s Daang Matuwid, the military gladly acts as private armies for foreign mining corporations and guarantees them unrestricted control and exploitation of mineral wealth. Aside from deploying more than 50 percent of AFP forces in Mindanao, the Aquino regime is further exploiting the Lumads by forcing them to become members of paramilitary forces like the Magahat, Bagani, Alamara who have wreaked havoc inside indigenous communities,” she said in a separate statement. Among the victims of extra-judicial killing were Emerito Samarca, Dionel Campos, Aurelio SInzo, Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio, Juvy Capion and her two children, Eliezer Billanes, and Jimmy Liguyon. She also called for the pull-out of military troops in

Re-file People’s Mining Bill The 16th Congress failed to approve on third and final reading the People’s Mining Bill before it adjourned last February 3. But Ariel Casilao, Anakpawis partylist first nominee said the Makabayan bloc has vowed to re-file the proposed

KMU-SMR... FROM 5

made them sign quitclaims and new contracts instead. When the workers refused, the company sacked them, the statement said. The dismissal fueled conciliation efforts by the Department of Labor and Employment which later bogged down, hence, the filing of the illegal dismissal case. All 84 complainants-workers picketed the NLRC office before submitting their appeal. Lechon as bribe? The group said a “complainant witnessed the delivery of a piece of lechon to the office of Maskariño from Nakayama Tech Corp., fueling expectation of a rigged decision December last year.” Olalo said it “is obvious simply by reading the decision that the LA did not even bother to consider the voluminous evidence of the workers.That the fate of the workers and

their families should rest on an anti-worker labor arbiter is simply repugnant.” This merely shows how the labor justice system in the country is skewed against the interests of the sector it should be partial to – and that is the workers.We consider this decision as a significant indictment of the labor justice system and hope that the workers will prevail upon appeal,” added Olalo. The labor group emphasized that this is not the first time Maskariño betrayed the workers, as he also wrote the decision which dismissed the complaint filed by one group of Franklin Baker external (Elmar Coco Services) workers last year. Olalo said complaint assigned to Maskariño ruled against the workers while the case (Golden White Coco Products) assigned to LA Mer-

ceditas Larida ruled in favor of the workers. Olalo warned that “Maskariño’s decisions make a dangerous precedent to workers’ fight against regularization, which under the law, provides that if a worker is employed for six months and one day, he or she should be considered a regular worker and claim all rights and benefits due regular status.” Olalo furthered that “capitalists have mastered the art of circumventing the law in order to avoid regularizing workers courtesy of DOLE Department Order 18-A, Series of 2011 which grants the capitalist the biggest alibi not to regularize workers.” The labor leader called on the government to ban contractualization and to nullify all laws which give legitimacy to the practice, such as the Herrera Law and D.O. 18-A.

continued decline in global oil prices on some categories of overseas Filipino workers such as those engaged in oil exploration, construction, and clerical services. “Given these developments, oil-producing countries may implement austerity measures, cut back on subsidies, postpone infrastructure

outlays, and impose higher taxes. Thus, the government should strengthen its ability to identify displaced workers and actively extend assistance by facilitating employment opportunities or placement services, re-training, providing livelihood, and/or re-integration,” he said. On the domestic front,

while El Niño is expected to gradually weaken starting this month, upward price pressures in food are expected due to the onset of the summer season. “Appropriate timing of rice importation remains critical to avoid supply disruptions which could result in unstable rice prices,” Esguerra said.

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EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

AirAsia’s Red Hot P1 Seat Sale is Back!

3 million promo seats up for grabs now

A Garbo Comvalenyo Season 7 proves yet again that it is the much-awaited and most-seen event in the week-long 9th Bulawan festival and 18th Founding Anniversary celebration of the province from March 3-8, 2016 at the provincial capitol. Compostela wins this year’s event. (a. dayao/ids comval)

Compostela bags Garbo Comvalenyo Season 7, artist Charice as guest G ARBO Comvalenyo proves yet again that it is the much-awaited and most-seen event in the weeklong 9th Bulawan festival and 18th Founding Anniversary celebration of the province from March 3-8, 2016 at the provincial capitol. The throng of crowd was treated to a spectacular night reminiscent of popular noontime TV shows every Sundays, only better! As it is shown live before their eyes, complete with live band, stage lights and creative production concept. Indeed, 11 talented ladies representing their municipalities vied it out to win this year’s much-coveted Garbo Comvalenyo Season 7 on the night of March 5. They competed in various music genre such as acoustic and pop dance which is a challenge

to the singers as they have to both dance and sing. Another round are songs from the Best of teleserye or Pinoy movie soundtracks and finally, their masterpiece round. In the end, Shemay Born Dangculos of Compostela won the grand champion bringing home P30,000 cash prize, a plaque and a CVSP scholarship. Coming in 1st place is Maragusan’s bet, Jenny Grace Jacosalem and 2nd placer, Princess Jaya Dylice Bucog of Montevista. They get to bring home P25,000 and P20,000 plus plaques and CVSP scholarships, respectively. Other equally talented performers are Recel Celetrino of Mawab, Sally Lou Cosido of Nabunturan, Janarie Vegafria of Maco, Rhenilyn Vibas of Pantukan, Janilou Durens of Laak, Jenny Rose Miano of Mabini, Elna Mae Guillermo of

New Bataan, and Shiela Mae Tamparong of Monkayo. “We set the best stage ‘para mu-shine ang talents sa atong mga Comvalenyos. Para ma-showcase usab nato ang atoang probinsya nga very successful and malambuun,” Bulawan festival Action officer and Sr. Board Member Tyron Uy said. And topping it all is the international Filipino artist Charice Pempengco who gave her own show-stopping performance singing her hit-maker ‘Louder’ and other reprised songs. Meanwhile, “the singing governor,” Gov. Arturo Uy, completed the ensemble with his song, “Ikaw na nga.” It was a poignant moment as he said his goodbyes on his last Bulawan festival as governor. Gov. Uy is on his 9-year term. He also cleared issues on the al-

the web-based referral system to help improve access of local residents to healthcare services from tertiary hospitals elsewhere in the province. Samboan, a town located in the southern part of Cebu Province, is the pilot site for the implementation of SHINE OS+ CE. With this system, Samboan, through its rural health unit, hopes to provide a reliable information system in capturing the health records of its residents and ensure continuity of care. To make it sustainable, CTU has committed to include SHINE OS+ in the curriculum for Information Technology students as part of their training and to help build the SHINE OS+ user community. “Engaging the right partners is instrumental to the success of any program and we’ve seen that in our initiatives. Getting the entire community to collaborate allows us to tailor-fit programs to address their particular needs, and this makes it more worthwhile for them,”

said Ramon R. Isberto, head of Smart Public Affairs. “The project aims to optimize utilization of SHINE OS+ guided by a community-driven approach, considering the needs and priorities of the user and funding communities,” said Atty. Maria Jane Paredes, Smart senior manager and head, Public Affairs VisMin. Working with its partners, Smart provides support for the SHINE software as a service. It will also connect government partners with non-government organizations and other entities for social marketing, training, monitoring and evaluation, and onsite technical support if necessary. It will continue to organize activities that will promote SHINE OS+ to the developer community such as hackathons, and API training for faculty, students and hospital personnel. Smart has been harnessing mobile- and web-based technologies for development, to help improve lives of more Filipinos.

leged huge funds spent for the festival. “Konting kaligayahan lang, ipagkait pa natin?,” he said. To which the crowd quickly cheered, supporting his statement. “Panagsa ra bitaw ni, kada usa ka tuig. Maynalang makakita mi ug artista, malingaw mi ug makatan-aw ug mga sama sa TV. Mao ni among ginaatangan, maski layo amuang balay,” said one onlooker who brought along his family of four. As what one of the judges, Artistic Director Edson Cachuela said, “Garbo Comvalenyo Season 7 ended with a high note and a statement that events like this should sustain and not defy or even surmount politics. This is a show worth staging and the whole community grew with it, learned with it and celebrated with it.” (fe maestre/idscomval)

IRASIA and AirAsia X are offering 3 million promotional seats for its highly anticipated Red Hot Seat Sale* which will connect travellers to over 100 destinations across 22 countries including flights to/from Manila, Kalibo, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, Davao, Tacloban and international destinations in Korea, Malaysia, China, Macau and Hong Kong. The promotional seats start from P1.00 base fare, excluding applicable taxes and fees. It is available for booking from 7 to 13 March 2016 on the airline’s website – www. airasia.com for the travel period from 1 October 2016 to 22 May 2017. This promo is also available on AirAsia’s mobile site mobile.airasia.com. AirAsia’s Group Chief Commercial Officer Siegtraund Teh said, “This time around, we are pleased to offer 3 million promotional seats. Guests may grab this perfect opportunity to make advance travel plans and enjoy extra value for their money. We have introduced many new and undiscovered routes throughout the region and grabbing a promo seat is the best way to discover new destinations!” “Guests from around the region can take advantage of our Fly-Thru service to connect to many exciting AirAsia X destinations such as Auckland, Sapporo, Tokyo, Gold Coast, Sydney and more. In conjunction with this special promotion, AirAsia X’s Premium Flatbed to all AirAsia X destinations are also on sale,” added Siegtraund Teh. AirAsia BIG members and AirAsia BIG Prepaid MasterCard card members can earn 1 AirAsia BIG points for every

P28.00 spent while booking the promo seats on www.airasia.com. Bargain hunters can also save up to50% and more when they book their hotel with promo seats on www. airasiago.com. Philippines AirAsia Commercial head Gerard Peñaflor said, ”With AirAsia’s massive network in the whole of ASEAN and extending as far as India, Japan and China, we offer guests the convenience of connecting seamlessly and at the same time ensuring that they enjoy only the best quality service from us. Filipinos traveling from Manila, Cebu and Kalibo to Korea, China, Malaysia, Macau and Hong Kong would be thrilled to know that Red Hot One-Peso seat sale also include these amazing destinations.” For added convenience, AirAsia strongly encourages guests to pre-book their baggage allowance at the time of flight booking to enjoy lowest rate. Alternatively, guests can use the “Manage My Booking” function to pre-book or add more baggage allowance at airasia.com up to 4 hours before the scheduled time of departure. Guests are reminded that each passenger is only allowed ONE piece of carry-on cabin baggage weighing no more than 7kgs and must be within the 36cm(h)x56cm(l) dimension. Keep updated with AirAsia’s latest promotions and activities via Twitter (@ AirAsiaPH), Facebook (AirAsiaPhilippines) and Instagram (@AirAsiaPH). *Red Hot P1 Seat Sale is for base fare only and does not include airport taxes, fees and other optional services. Terms and conditions apply.

Smart partnerships to improve delivery of healthcare services in Cebu

IRELESS leader Smart Communications has started rolling out the Secured Health Information Network and Exchange OS+ Community Edition (SHINE OS+ CE) in the Province of Cebu to help improve the delivery of healthcare services to local residents, especially those in far-flung areas. Smart inked a memorandum of agreement with the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for the Cebu province-wide referral system. The agreement also includes training of the staff of the hospital’s out-patient and emergency room departments on SHINE OS+. With the agreement, the province of Cebu adopted SHINE OS+ as the official online system for receiving referrals from the different rural health units. It was implemented early February. Smart also signed a tripartite agreement with the Municipality of Samboan and the Cebu Technological University (CTU)-Samboan Campus to jointly implement

Smart, Samboan and CTU partner for SHINE. A three-way partnership was sealed between Smart Communications, and partners Municipality of Samboan and Cebu Technological University. The main signatories are Dr. Eingilbert Benolirao, director of CTU-Samboan Ext. Campus (seated, third from left); Samboan Mayor Raymond Joseph Calderon (seated, 2nd from right) and Atty. Maria Jane Paredes, Smart senior manager and head of Public Affairs VisMin (seated, rightmost). They are joined by officials of the Samboan LGU and students of CTU Samboan Extension Campus.

12 CLASSIFIEDS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

EDGEDAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENT Serving a seamless society

EDGEDAVAO GENSAN PARTNERS Serving a seamless society

Advertise with

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

Tel No. 082.221.3601/224.1413 Email: edgedavao@gmail.com marketing@edgedavao.net

INdulge!

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

EDGEDAVAO TRAVEL

A new address for an

EXCITING MANILA FAMILY VACATION The two-bedroom suite’s master bedroom gives a fantastic view of Ortigas.

The Linden Suites is like a home-away from home.

TRAVELLING IS FUN. MOMENTS SPENT DISCOVERING NEW PLACES TO SEE AND NEW DISHES TO TASTE NEVER FAIL TO EXCITE ME. The level of fun is further elevated when you add your family to the mix and with more affordable flights between the capital and Davao than ever before, Manila is a good choice for family travel bonding. One big concern for travelling families though is the question of where to stay. Typical hotel rooms may be perfect for individuals of couples but for families who cannot travel without an entourage (yayas included), affordable options are hard to come by. Luckily, The Linden Suites solves all the problems of big family travellers. Not just any hotel, The Linden Suites offers newly renovated studio rooms as well as chic one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and threebedroom accommodations that are perfect for large travelling parties who need all the space they need which include a dining area, a kitchenette,

The huge living area of the Linden’s two-bedroom suite.

SM Megamall’s new Fashion Hall.

Alfresco dining at the Shangri-la Mall

as well as a walk-in closet. The Linden Suites truly gives the feeling of homeaway-from-home. Of course when staying at the congested capital, one should be wary of the traffic when going from one location to another. Believe me, a lot of time can get wasted sitting on the road, which is why the

International dining and shopping at SM Megamall. location of The Linden Suites, along San Miguel Avenue in Ortigas is perfect as it is just a short walk from two of Metro Manila’s biggest and hippest malls, the Shangri-La

Mall and SM Megamall. Foodie families will want to check out the new international food concepts that are within the two malls, which include Din Tai Fung, Ippudo Ra-

My favorite ramen place. men, Tim Ho Wan, and The Halal Guys. The fashion conscious will want to check out the massive three-floor H&M and are stores at the Megamall, as well as check out Given-

chy, Saint Laurent, and Gucci stores at the new wing of Shangri-La Mall. Aside from shop and dine, there are also many activities one can do such as go ice skating at the Megamall’s new ice skating rink, catch the latest flicks on IMAX, or watch a theatre production at the Shang. Everything is convenient and just within easy reach of The Linden Suites. And after a day at the mall, The Linden Suites is a sanctuary of calm and relaxation thanks to its indoor heated pool (which will be a hit with the kids), as well as spa. The best feature of The Linden Suites though is its affordability, giving hotel level luxury with home-level space. Truly, family travel bonding in Manila has a perfect address and that is The Linden Suites, where travel activities with the family are sure to create memories that last a lifetime.

EDGEDAVAO

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

UP AND ABOUT

Cool down with Rocky’s Hydrating Hair & Scalp Treatment THE ARAW NG DABAW will draw everyone to the outdoors to take part in the fiesta’s exciting flurry of activities.

After a day out dancing to the festival beats and touring the city streets under the scorching summer sun, seek solace from the heat and head to the nearest Rocky’s Barbershop where a refreshing treatment is waiting to cool you down. Offered at 25% off for the whole month of March, the Hydrating Treatment for the hair and scalp is the perfect cooling therapy for your crowning glory. Exposure to heat and heavy perspiration can lead to dry and itchy scalp. The

Hydrating Therapy Hair Spa addresses dry scalp problems while restoring the natural beauty and health of hair. The hydrating hair spa treatment is formulated with purified water and gentle ingredients—Shea butter, and avocado of which deeply nourishes hair. It brings back softness, strength and shine. Mixed with the formula is a stimulating serum, which contains purified water, Vitamin E, Vitamin PP (also known as Vitamin B3 or Niacin which specializes in DNA repair and rebuilding of cells in hair). The gentle anti-thinning formula stimulates hair growth and prevents hair fall. The 20-minute hydrat-

ing therapy starts with a refreshing hair bath. The hair formula is then applied by gently brushing from roots to tips and leave to soak for five minutes. A relaxing 15-minute head massage follows to further work the formula into the hair and scalp before it’s rinsed off. You will love the cool and relaxing feeling that will flow from your head down to the rest of your body after the therapy. Enjoy the 25% discount on Hydrating Hair Spa Therapy at Rocky’s barbershops in Abreeza Mall, SM Lanang Premier, SM City, Victoria Plaza and GMall. Promotion is offered until March 31, 2016.

AirAsia’s Red Hot P1 Seat Sale is back AIRASIA AND AIRASIA X are offering 3 million promotional seats for its highly anticipated Red Hot Seat Sale* which will connect travellers to over 100 destinations across 22 countries including flights to/from Manila, Kalibo, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, Davao, Tacloban and international destinations in Korea, Malaysia, China, Macau and Hong Kong. The promotional seats start from P1.00 base fare, excluding applicable taxes and fees. It is available for booking from 7 to 13 March 2016 on the airline’s website – www.airasia.com for the travel period from 1 October 2016 to 22 May 2017. This promo is also available on AirAsia’s mobile site mobile. airasia.com. AirAsia’s Group Chief

Commercial Officer Siegtraund Teh said, “This time around, we are pleased to offer 3 million promotional seats. Guests may grab this perfect opportunity to make advance travel plans and enjoy extra value for their money. We have introduced many new and undiscovered routes throughout the region and grabbing a promo seat is the best way to discover new destinations!” “Guests from around the region can take advantage of our Fly-Thru service to connect to many exciting AirAsia X destinations such as Auckland, Sapporo, Tokyo, Gold Coast, Sydney and more. In conjunction with this special promotion, AirAsia X’s Premium Flatbed to all AirAsia X destinations are also on sale,” added Siegtraund Teh. AirAsia BIG members and AirAsia BIG Prepaid

MasterCard card members can earn 1 AirAsia BIG points for every P28.00 spent while booking the promo seats on www.airasia.com. Bargain hunters can also save up to50% and more when they book their hotel with promo seats on www.airasiago.com. Philippines AirAsia Commercial head Gerard Peñaflor said, ”With AirAsia’s

massive network in the whole of ASEAN and extending as far as India, Japan and China, we offer guests the convenience of connecting seamlessly and at the same time ensuring that they enjoy only the best quality service from us. Filipinos traveling from Manila, Cebu and Kalibo to Korea, China, Malaysia, Macau and Hong

Kong would be thrilled to know that Red Hot One-Peso seat sale also include these amazing destinations.” For added convenience, AirAsia strongly encourages guests to pre-book their baggage allowance at the time of flight booking to enjoy lowest rate. Alternatively, guests can use the “Manage My Booking” function to prebook or add more baggage allowance at airasia.com up to 4 hours before the scheduled time of departure. Guests are reminded that each passenger is only allowed ONE piece of carryon cabin baggage weighing no more than 7kgs and must be within the 36cm(h) x56cm(l) dimension. Keep updated with AirAsia’s latest promotions and activities via Twitter (@AirAsiaPH), Facebook (AirAsiaPhilippines) and Instagram (@AirAsiaPH).

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

EDGEDAVAO

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ENTERTAINMENT

Barbie Forteza wins Best Actress award for ‘Laut’ DIRECTOR LOUIE IGNACIO BROKE THE NEWS TO BARBIE FORTEZA that she won the Best Actress award at the 36th Fantasporto International Film Festival at Oporto, Portugal for their indie film ‘Laut’ that premiered in Singkuwento International Film Festival last February 19. Since Barbie could not attend to the ceremony in Portugal, Louie Ignacio was there to claim the actress’ welldeserved award.

Direk Louie and the ‘That’s My Amboy’ star had a quick exchange of praise in the comments section of the Instagram post. While Barbie still couldn’t believe her win, Director Louie knew from the start that Barbie can bag an international award. The film ‘Laut’ also bagged a Special Mention of the Jury award and lead actress Barbie, couldn’t thank

the whole team enough for the trust. “Congrats Team Laut and @barbaraforteza wagi tayo !!! Special Mention of the Jury prize and Best actress for @barbaraforteza !!!! Mabuhay ang Indie !!!!’ Mabuhay ang Pilipinas” Louie says on his post. Barbie replies with “Congratulations, Direk!!!!!!! Maraming salamat po sa tiwala! @ lagdameolouie”

AldenRichardssharesinsightsonKalye-serye IN AN INTERVIEW WITH PA M B A N S A N G BAE ALDEN RICHARDS during his rehearsals for his Dubai Tour this March 10, the actor assured the fans that everything that happened in the March 5 episode of Eat Bulaga’s Kalye-serye was all authentic. He affirmed, “‘Yung episode po ng Kalyeserye kanina, wala pong halong ka-showbizan ang nangyari doon;

everything was real.” Alden also reacted towards AlDub’s bashers,

he narrated: “Marami naman po talaga. These past few weeks, ayaw

nila tumigil; marami sila laging sinasabi.” Still, Alden is at peace thanks to AlDub Nation’s support. He gushed, “Ang maganda naman po kasi sa AlDub Nation, hindi naman sila naniniwala sa mga [hinihirit] ng mga detractors. ‘Yun na lang, sa kanila, kung doon sila masaya, we’ll give it to them, this is a free country naman.” He also added, “Stay happy, kapit lang kaming dalawa because there are a lot of people who will try to bring us down.”

CELEBRATE WOMEN’S MONTH AT THE SM STORE! Women SMAC shoppers can enjoy extra 10% off on all items, with a minimum P2,000 single-receipt purchase. Plus: BDO Shopmore cardholders get additional rebates! March 2, 9, 16 and 23. All The SM Store branches nationwide. Standard discount exclusions apply.

ABS-CBNthanksDirekWennforloveandlaughter THE REMAINS OF BOXOFFICE DIRECTOR WENN DARAMAS were finally laid to rest Sunday afternoon at the Himlayang Pilipino.

Paying their final respects to the veteran director were his family, friends, and colleagues, including Vice Ganda, Claudine Barretto, Gladys Reyes, Ricky Davao, Candy Pangilinan, BB Gandanghari, Karla Estrada, and ABS-CBN executives Charo Santos-Concio and Malou Santos. Before Direk Wenn was brought to his final resting place, a Mass was held at the Dolphy Theater inside the ABS-CBN compound. ABS-CBN, together with his loves ones and industry colleagues, also paid tribute to the director with a necrological service Saturday night. Titled “Paalam, Direk Wenn: Thank You for the Love and Laughter,” the program was filled with lots of laughter and hilarious anecdotes about Direk Wenn. It was hosted by some of his closest friends, including Star Cinema’s Roxy Liquigan, comedians Candy Pangilinan, Atak Arana, Eagle Riggs, and John Sweet Lapus, and directors Andoy Ranay and Don Cuaresma.

The service included a skit featuring Wonder Woman,

Direk Wenn’s favorite fictional superhero, and moving performances from singer Jude Michael and Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano. His best friend Atet Manalo, friend and colleague Mel Del Rosario, and kids Gab and Raffy also recalled how Direk Wenn was as a friend and father. Vice Ganda, who worked with Direk Wenn in blockbuster films such as “Beauty and the Bestie,” “The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin,” and “Sisterakas,” capped off the necrological service with a fun musical skit with comedians Kiray and Tetay.

March 3 – 8, 2016

ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE Gerald Anderson, Arci Muňoz

12:40 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

LONDON HAS FALLEN Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman R13

12:40 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

THE FINEST HOURS Chris Pine, Casey Affleck PG

12:40 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

GODS OF EGYPT Gerard Butler, Abbey Lee, Courtney Eaton PG

12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 | 10:00 LFS

EDGEDAVAO

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

EVENT

EsDevCo holds twin ceremonies By Kenneth Irving Ong WHAT WAS ONCE A DREAM IS NOW A REALITY as Esdevo Realty Corporation, the developer of Matina Enclaves, tops-off the first tower of its condominium development last February 27, 2016, which was attended by the company’s top officers, members of the Escandor family, as well as the company’s brokers and seller. Standing proudly as one of South Davao’s tallest edifices, Matina Enclaves Tower One will soon be welcoming its residents as promised by EsDevCo. “We promised our buyers a December turn-over of their units, and with this topping-off ceremony, we are now much closer to turning

over the project to our lucky buyers,” shared EsDevCo Project Director Gerald Kent M. Garces. Aside from the top-off ceremony, EsDevCo also held a ground-breaking ceremony for Tower Two of the same project. “We believe in the timely delivery of our projects and so with the ground-

breaking ceremony, we expect to top-off the second tower by the end of the year.” Kent added. The cluster of towers of Matina Enclaves will surround the now fullyfunctional clubhouse and soon-to-be-built 25-meter lap pool which will be enjoyed exclusively by the unit owners.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

VAW... FROM 3

woman in Aroroy, Masbate (2010), the case of two teenage girls from Mankayan, Benguet (2012), and the case of a young Lumad from Talaingod, Davao (2015). “Not a single soldier was charged and penalized for these brutal acts,” Guan added. Guan explained that the proliferation of violence is caused by an existing culture

that promotes exploitation, oppression, and subjugation of women. “It is a culture where the powerful dominates the powerless. The powerful controls the economic and political setting. Such domination is translated in the treatment of women, especially those who belong to the marginalized sector,” she said.

the substantial components of a complete “live-work-play” community such as Eastwood City and McKinley Hill. We are moving towards making our other townships mature as well, especially those outside of Metro Manila,” explains Go.

Megaworld owns 100-percent of Suntrust Properties, Inc., 82-percent of GERI and 82-percent of Empire East Holdings, Inc. It has already built over 350 residential, office and commercial towers across the country.

Megaworld... FROM 6

NOTICE OF AUCTION SALE

All pawned items that expired during the month of October 2015, if not redeemed or renewed will be sold to public auction on March 17, 2016 at 8:00 o’clock in the morning at Cynthia S. De Leon Pawnshop (All Branches) Jose Abad Santos St. Zone 3 Digos City.

EDGEDAVAO

DA... FROM 4

Alcala conducted an Open Forum for farmers’ to ventilate their sentiments and expressed their gratitude on how the assistance they have availed themselves of from DA improve their lives. “Sana po aalagaan natin ang mga proyekto na ipinagkaloob sa atin. Sana po naramdaman ng ating mga kababayan ang malaking ipinagbago na nangyari sa ating mga sakahan. Kailangan po ng mamamayan na may serbisyong makatotohanan” Alcala added. Alcala also pointed out that Davao del Norte is the leading producer of banana in the country and one of DA’s

thrust is to help lift the banana industry. In his testimony, Alejandro Cubijano, Cavendish banana farmer in Davao del Norte expressed his gratitude to DA for the assistance given to them through the Fusarium Wilt Management and Control Program. “Kami po sa banana industry ay nabiyayaan ng mga mahalagang programa at benepisyo. Ako po at ang aking mga kasamahan sa banana industry ay nais pong magpasalamat sa DA sa naitulong sa aming kooperatiba at sa mga banana growers dito sa Davao del Norte,” Cubijano added.

NEWS 13

Banks... FROM 6

process of transforming the proceeds of a crime or criminal activities into funds that appear to have been lawfully obtained. “Nobody can physically carry large sums of cash in and out of the country, so if any fraudulent funds are coming in from overseas, it will have to be coursed through banks. And this is precisely what happened, if it is true that the $100 million slipped in and out even before the authorities could freeze the money,” Ty said. The lawmaker said banks are supposed to have strong risk controls in place against possible dirty funds, and are expected to promptly report all suspicious activities.

“In fact, banks may deny service to clients who may be engaged in doubtful transactions,” he pointed out. The country’s Anti-Money Laundering Law imposes rigorous requirements on bank customer identification, record-keeping, and the reporting of transactions when there is information or reasonable basis to suspect that these were entered into for the purpose of laundering the takings from illegal activities. The law also relaxes strict bank deposit secrecy laws, and provides for the freezing, seizure, forfeiture and recovery of dirty funds and properties as well as for international cooperation.

AUCTION NOTICE

All pawned items that expired during the month of October 2015, if not redeemed or renewed will be sold to public auction on March 17, 2016 at 8:00 o’clock in the morning at JDL PAWNSHOP, ACS Building Poblacion Lupon Davao Oriental.

All pawned items that expired during the month of October 2015, if not redeemed or renewed will be sold to public auction on March 17, 2016 at 8:00 o’clock in the morning at JOHN JANSEN DE LEON CAMASURA PAWNSHOP, 23 Gimenes Building Country Home, Cabantian, Davao City

EDGEDAVAO

14 MOTORING

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

BMW PH launches all-new 7 Series B

MW has officially launched the newest generation of its flagship model, the 7 Series, in the Philippine market, securing the German luxury carmaker’s reputation as the leader in ground-breaking features and contemporary design. Driven by cutting-edge technology, the allnew 7 Series is available solely in the 740Li guise with the 750Li available upon order. The all-new 740Li is powered by a BMW’s smooth inline-6 engine packing TwinPower Turbo technology. This engine uses a new aluminum crankcase, cylinder head, and oil sump while the TwinScroll Turbo features an indirect system of charging air cooling incorporated into the intake manifold. Together with direct injection, VALVETRONIC, and Double-VANOS variable cam timing, the 740Li nets out 326 horsepower and 450 Nm of torque. 0-100 km/h is dispatched in just 5.6 seconds while returning 16 percent better fuel economy than its predecessor. Meanwhile, the 750Li uses a 4.4-liter V8 also with TwinPower Turbo generating 450 horsepower and 650 Nm of torque. More than just pure power, reducing weight is instrumental to the 7 Series’ improved performance and fuel efficiency. Derived from the BMW i8 sports car, the 7 Series utilizes a Carbon Core which combines Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) with steel and aluminum for a highly rigid body with a significantly reduced weight. Apart from the stiff structure afforded by the Carbon Core, the 7 Series employs self-leveling air suspension that can automatically raise itself by 20 millimeters for clearing rough terrain or can drop itself 10 millimeters for a sportier drive. It also comes with Dynamic Damper Control which improves not only the ride and comfort, but adds to the dynamic handling

qualities as well. A Driver Experience Control, allows the driver to scroll through different handling presets. In the case of the new Adaptive mode though, the car can do the adjustments for the driver using sensors to tell the driver’s intensions and the car’s behavior. Furthermore, four wheel steering (Active Steering) comes as standard aiding in low speed maneuverability and high speed stability. Inside, the 7 Series’ iDrive operating system not only allows touch display inputs, but incorporates BMW’s new gesture control. The car recognizes certain commands using a 3D sensor near the center console and can thus recognize hand gestures. It also has BMW Touch Command in the rear seating area. The 7-inch removable tablet lets occupants control things such as seat adjustment, interior lighting, climate control, and infotainment, whether they’re in or out of the vehicle. The Touch Command tablet can also be used for surfing the internet or playing external video/audio files via the Harman Kardon speaker system for the 740Li or the 16-speaker Bower & Wilkins Diamond surround sound for the 750Li. Apart from this revolutionary iDrive system, the 7 Series makes use of horizontal surfaces and lines to deliver a driver-focused design. Standard in the country is the Design Pure Excellence interior package which equips the 740Li with Exclusive Dakota leather and Exclusive Nappa leather for the 750Li. The option of colors also varies including Ivory White. Meanwhile, the wood trim elements are finished in American Oak. Adding airiness, the 740Li has a two-section panorama glass roof while the 750Li has Sky Lounge that adds LED lighting modules on the glass roof. Another unique feature in the 750Li is the Ambient Air package that ionizes and adds fragrance to the interior via the climate control system.

wheelbase as before (Mr. Nakajima calls this the optimal packaging), the Innova does get a much tougher frame thanks to a thicker side rail comparable to that of the Land Cruiser Prado. This equates to added durability and less chassis flex for a more stress-free ride.

grade gets a wealth of safety equipment such as seven airbags, ABS with EBD, stability control, and even hill start assist. The others though get three airbags (including a driver’s knee airbag), and ABS with EBD.

All you need to know about the 2016 Toyota Innova

WHAT ABOUT INSIDE? Inside, the Innova is going for an innovative and luxurious cabin and to achieve this it comes in two shades: Hazel Brown Fabric for the G and V grades and Black Fabric for the E and J grades. Apart from the improved fabrics, it also gets a high-definition MID, steering wheel with audio controls, and Clear Blue ambient ceiling lighting.

LL you need to know about the 2016 Toyota Innova You’ve already read our first impressions on the allnew Toyota Innova. Now, it’s time to sit down and take a closer look at this new IMV addition. On this page, you can get all the specs, details, and much more. We’ll save you the hassle of having to click through different pages and/or links. Let’s begin.

WHY IS IT CALLED “INNOVA”? The name comes from the word, “Innovate” that signifies Toyota’s commitment to deliver unmatched capability and comfort to new markets. When the first-generation Innova replaced the Tamaraw FX / Revo in 2004, it created a new market for MPVs.

IS THIS PURELY AN ASIAN VEHICLE? The first-generation Innova was primarily an Asian vehicle. However, with the second-generation Innova, Toyota wants to increase its presence in emerging markets globally. Apart from Asia, it’s now sold in the Middle East, Africa, and real soon, in South America as well. HOW MANY INNOVAS HAVE BEEN SOLD SO FAR? In its 12-year run, the Innova has already sold 140,000 units. WHAT’S THE DESIGN BRIEF OF THE 2016 INNOVA?

According to the IMV’s Chief Engineer, Hiroki Nakajima, the new Innova aims to be a “crossover MPV”. He aimed to combine the essence of an MPV with the tough, emotional elements of an SUV. Thus, his concept of “Multi-Performance Vehicle” is born.

HOW DOES IT MEASURE UP COMPARED TO BEFORE? With an exterior that expresses a tougher and more sophisticated stance, the all-new Innova is actually wider, longer, and taller than its predecessor. The previous model stood in at (L x W x H): 4,585 x 1,775 x 1,760. The new model now measures in at: 4,735 x 1,830 x 1,795 mm. The wheelbase stays the same though at 2,750 mm. WHAT ARE SOME KEY EXTERIOR

FEATURES? Some of the exterior features of the all-new Innova include: LED projector headlamps with daytime running lights, 16-inch alloy wheels with Yokohama Blue Earth (low rolling resistance) 205/65 R 16 tires, a fin-type antenna, and a rear spoiler.

HOW MANY COLORS DOES IT COME IN? Toyota Motor Philippines is offering a wide palette of colors for the Innova. It’s available in no less than eight shades, the availability of which depends on the variant. It comes in Freedom White, White Pearl (for additional cash), Silver Metallic, Black Mica, Red Mica Metallic, Blue Mica Metallic, and two new colors: Blackish Red Mica and Alumina Jade Metallic.

IS IT ROOMIER INSIDE? Though Toyota is mum whether or not it gets more legroom than before, they highlighted the fact it gets more headroom. Compared to the previous Innova’s 114 mm first row, 62 mm second row, and 8 mm third row headroom, the all-new Innova now has 119 mm in front, 62 mm in the second row, and 18 mm in the third row. The overall interior height has been increased by 5 mm to 1,245 mm while the Couple distance is now 1,000 mm from 981 mm. ANYTHING ELSE? Aside from having more room for your top hats, the Innova also has enhanced front seat comfort, tilt/telescopic steering, one-touch folding second and a spring-assisted third row seat mechanism. The G and V grades also get front seatback trays. IS THERE ANYTHING NEW UNDERNEATH? Though it keeps the same

WHAT ARE THE ENGINES? As always, the Innova comes with both diesel and gasoline engines. The gasoline is the 1TR-FE with Dual VVT-i. This 2.0-liter motor has 136 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 183 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. Meanwhile, the diesel is the 2.8-liter 1GD-FTV with 171 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and 360 Nm of torque from 1,200 to 3,400 rpm. The diesel engine is the same one, albeit detuned, in the Fortuner and Hilux. The reason for using the 2.8 versus the 2.4 is due to the Philippine market’s preference for power. Still, Toyota says fuel economy is more or less the same. WHAT’S THE TRANSMISSION? All manual transmission variants get an enhanced 5-speed manual while the automatic variants get a new 6-speed automatic with sequential control. A Drive Mode switch (Eco or Power) changes the engine, transmission, and climate control characteristics to either improve fuel economy or add grunt. WHAT ABOUT SAFETY? Well, the range-topping V

HOW MUCH IS THE ALL-NEW INNOVA? Well, the Innova comes in no less than 14 variants: 2.0 J M/T – P 919,000 2.8 J M/T – P 1,021,000 2.0 E M/T – P 1,040,000 2.0 E A/T – P 1,120,000 2.8 E M/T – P 1,142,000 2.8 E A/T – P 1,222,000 2.0 G A/T – P 1,232,000 2.0 G A/T WP – P 1,247,000 2.8 G M/T – P 1,269,000 2.8 G M/T WP – P 1,284,000 2.8 G A/T – P 1,349,000 2.8 G A/T WP – P 1,364,000 2.8 V A/T – P 1,445,000 2.8 V A/T WP – P 1,460,000

WHERE IS IT MADE? Toyota Motor Philippines has made substantial upgrades to its Santa Rosa, Laguna assembly plant to make the all-new Innova. And that’s the right decision. With expected monthly sales to breach 2,000 units, a shortened delivery time is very important to customers. When will it be available at my local Toyota dealership? All Toyota dealerships are accepting reservations right now with delivers to start in mid-April.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

PH Cuppers hail Gonzales’heroics

HE Philippine Davis Cup team has Ruben Gonzales to thank following its rousing victory over Kuwait in their Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group II tie on Saturday. Playing with a big heart, Gonzales survived gritty Mohammed Ghareeb to come away with a 7-6 (2), 6-2, 1-6, 6-7 (6), 5-5 ret win late Friday evening, which proved to be the turning point of the Filipinos’ first round tie with the Kuwaitis at the Valle Verde Country Club. Ghareeb retired after going down with a pulled muscle in his groin. Gonzales was on the verge of squandering a two-set lead when Ghareeb reached matchpoint in the 8th and 10th game. But the Filipino netter refused to wilt under extreme pressure and managed to force a 5-5 tie before his Kuwaiti opponent eventually gave in to exhaustion during the marathon, four-hour classic match. “He was the hero of that evening,” team manager Jean Henri Lhuillier of Cebuana Lhuillier admitted. Instead of a 1-1 tie, the win by Gonzales put the Philippines up, 2-0, in the bestof-five tie before the doubles match on Saturday where Treat Huey and Francis Casey Alcantara eventually cruised to a 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 win over Abdulrahman Alawadhi and Abdulhamid Mubarak to secure the first round tie. The Philippines will now face either Chinese Taipei or Malaysia in the second round

slated July. Non-playing team captain Karl Santamaria admitted Gonzales was on the verge of giving up while the veteran Ghareeb, who nearly pulled an upset over former world No. 1 Roger Federer in a 2006 tournament, showed no signs of fatigue during the exhausting match. But Santamaria kept on motivating the 30-year-old netter, and was left impressed with how Gonzales was able to regain his focus and pull himself together during the course of the grueling match. “It was the most crucial match,” said Santamaria of the Gonzales-Ghareeb tussle. “Fourth and fifth set, si Ruben hindi naman siya pagod pero frustrated na siya kasi sinasabi niya, ‘This guy is not getting tired.’ He was mostly frustrated kasi napaka-solid talaga ng kalaban.” “Until the fourth set, I felt that Ghareeb was controlling the match,” recalled the PH team non-playing captain. “Sabi ko, ‘Fifth set, brand new set. We have to keep pushing.’ Paalala ko na lang, keep pushing and telling him, ‘We’ve been here for four hours. If you’re tired, definitely he’s more tired.’ “Pinapalakas ko na lang ‘yung loob niya kasi magaling magtago ng fatigue si Ghareeb with his experience sa Tour.? “Get it to 5-all, mananalo tayo,” Santamaria told Gonzales later. “Manghuhula pala ako kasi bumigay ‘yung kalaban.”

UP shocks Lady Eagles in 5 sets

NIVERSITY of the Philippines ended a 17-game losing skid to Ateneo, shaking off a flat start to stun the two-time champions, 19-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-22, in the UAAP Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament on Sunday at The Arena in San Juan. UP last won the Battle of Katipunan on January 17, 2007 via a five-set thriller, 37-35, 22-25, 20-25, 25-17, 15-12, and didn’t repeat the feat until nine years later - thanks to an audacious comeback from a set down. UP reached match point, 24-19, via an Alyssa Valdez service error but the Lady

Eagles threatened, 22-24, before rookie Isa Molde scored an off the block attack to seal the win for the Lady Maroons. The Lady Maroons extended their winning run to three to improve to a 5-3 card. The loss was a demoralizing blow for the defending champions Lady Eagles, who were looking to bounce back from a straight-sets loss to arch-rival La Salle the weekend before. It was Ateneo’s first backto-back losses since Season 76 as it dropped to 6-2, still good for a share of the lead with the Lady Spikers.

SPORTS 15

EDGEDAVAO

SHOCKER Lakers post huge upset of Warriors 112-95

ONE ON ONE. Retiring Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, going up against reigning league MVP Steph Curry of Golden State, had 12 points on four-of-14 shooting in 24 minutes of court time.

HE Los Angeles Lakers posted one of the biggest upsets of the NBA season with an unlikely 112-95 victory over the reigning league champion Golden State Warriors. Pre-game hype Sunday was all about Kobe Bryant’s final contest against the Warriors, but the crowd of 19,000 at Staples Center arena got more than they wished for with a rare win by the cellar-dwelling Lakers. “This helps out our team’s growth,” Bryant said. “The learning curve comes from trusting our defense. “We paid attention to detail very well. “For the young guys, I think it’s extremely important to see the results of it. When you pay attention to little details, good things happen.” Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points and D’Angelo Russell tallied 21 as the Lakers handed the Warriors only their sixth loss of the season against 55 triumphs. The Warriors are chasing the all-time best season in NBA

history, the 72-10 campaign of the Chicago Bulls in 1995-96. To match the mark, Golden State must now win 17 of the final 21 games this season. Based on the winning percentage difference of .727 between the teams before Sunday’s game, the result is the largest upset in NBA history. Bryant, who has been hampered by injuries of late, had 12 points on four-of-14 shooting in 24 minutes of court time. It marked the 37-year-old Bryant’s first game back at Staples Center arena since February 2. He missed three of the last four regular season games with a sore shoulder. “I feel terrible not being able to be out here for every single game,” said Bryant, who is retiring after the regular season. “If I can give it a go I will go out there and try.” Asked how many of the Lakers’ final 18 games that he would be able to play Bryant said, “hopefully all of them. I know it is wishful thinking.” Stephen Curry finished with 18 points, six rebounds

and four assists, but shot just one-of-10 from beyond the arc for the Warriors, who saw their seven-game win streak snapped. “We didn’t have much energy,” Curry said. “Just one of those nights you want to avoid at all cost.” Curry’s backcourt partner Klay Thompson scored 15 points, but missed all eight of his three-point attempts and shot seven-for-20 overall. Golden State played without forward Andre Iguodala, who had an injured left hamstring. - Rockets jettison host Raptors James Harden tallied a game-high 40 points as the Houston Rockets ended a couple of significant streaks with a 113-107 victory over the host Toronto Raptors. The Rockets not only snapped the Raptors’ 12-game home winning streak but they won in Toronto for the first time in nine games. Harden had 20 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter as the Rockets erased an 85-77,

Palicte to fight in Mexico March 12

S’WOODS RULES INTERCLUB. The Manila Southwoods squad receives their 2nd consecutive PAL Interclub trophy (4th since 1999) from PAL President Jaime J. Bautista (center) after overpowering Canlubang by 10 points in the

Championship division of the 69th edition of the Interclub held recently at Mimosa Golf & Country Club in Clark, Pampanga. Also an award presentor was Ria Domingo, PAL vice president – Marketing. (photo by Roy Bonghanoy)

third-quarter deficit to avoid a second consecutive loss overall. Corey Brewer came off the bench to score 23 points and Dwight Howard added 21 points and 11 rebounds. Toronto was led by 21 points from Luis Scola. DeMar DeRozan added 19 points and seven assists while Kyle Lowry had 17 points and nine assists - Augustin lifts Nuggets over Mavs D.J. Augustin hit two free throws with nine-tenths of a second left in overtime to lift the Denver Nuggets to a 116114 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Augustin scored eight of his 12 points in the extra period. Kenneth Faried had 25 points and a season-high 20 rebounds, and Will Barton scored 20 for the Nuggets, who rallied from four down in the last 10 seconds of regulation to force overtime. Germany’s Dirk Nowitzki scored 30 points and Deron Williams had 17 for the Mavericks, who lost their second straight game.

EIGNING WBO Oriental super flyweight champion Aston “Mighty” Palicte of the Philippines will face dangerous Mexican fighter Junior Granados on March 12 in Merida, Mexico. The 25-year old Palicte (20 wins-1 loss-0 draw-17 KOs) will be accompanied by his trainer Joven Jimenez according to his manager Jason Soong. Palicte, who previously won his title via a unanimous decision against Vergilio Silvano last November 13 at the Philippine Navy Gym in Taguig City, has been training at the Elorde Gym in Manila. His sparring mate is Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas from Davao City. “Medyo delikado kasi magaling ang kalaban ni Aston,” said Jimenez. The 23-year old Granados, who has a record of 14W-4L1D-8KOs, is a former WBC

Mundo Hispano flyweight champion. He also fought but lost for the WBO Inter-Continental super flyweight title by a UD to Jamie Conlan last July 4 in Dublin, Ireland. Granados, however, bounced back by beating fellow Mexican Samuel Gutierrez by a majority decision last October 3 in Yucatan, Mexico. Palicte’s fight with Granados was penciled by GAB-licensed matchmaker Robert Yanez of the JYT Boxing International. Palicte’s only setback was when he lost by retirement to Romnick Magos in their championship fight for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific Youth flyweight title held at the Navy Gym last December 1, 2012. Palicte, however, bounced back with nine straight wins all by knockout or technical knockout before he captured his current title.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

HAPPY GO HOPES LASALLE IS LUCKY By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO njb@edgedavao.net

OR a De La Salle alumnus like City Mayor’s Office (CMO) team manager Christopher “Bong” Go, drafting the entire line-up of the Green Archers for the forthcoming Araw ng Davao Inter-Commercial Invitational Basketball Tournament, to play for the 2015 Kadayawan champion CMO-The Royal Mandaya Hotel is a dream come true. “Anybody would love to have a team like De La Salle in their line-up. I cannot thank enough the La Salle management for approving our request to have their team play for us here in Davao. It’s an honor and privilege,” said Go, taking a breather from his hectic campaign schedule as the close aide of presidential bet Davao Mayor Rodrigo

Duterte. “I can’t wait to see them play here. Malipay sad ang mga taga Davao ani na makita nila ang Green Archers sa atoang liga (Dabawenyos will be very happy to see the Green Archers play in our league),” said Go who will share the responsibility of steering the popular CMOTRMH squad with teammate and co-manager Glenn Escandor. The two play for the CMO Executives in their spare time for various local tournaments. The Hoteliers will be enjoying the services of the leading Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) squad De La Salle University Green Archers in the forthcoming

2016 Araw ng Davao cagefest which begins March 16-19 at the Davao City Recreation Center. Athletic combo guard Jeron Alvin Teng will lead the Green Archers’ campaign along with 6-7 Cameroonian Benoit Mbala. The team will also have the services of brothers 6-0 Paolo Ricci Rivero and 6-3 Rashleigh Paolo Rivero, 6-6 Abu Jahal Tratter, 5-9 Lorenzo Fernando Navarro, 6-3 Andrew Stuart Langston, 5-10 Joshua Andrei Caracut, 5-7 Jay Aljun Melecio, 6-5 Leondro Amiel Josn, 6-2 Mark Anthony Dyke, 5-11 Kirell Brandon Montalvo, 6-5 Daryll Louie Pascual, 5-10 Jose Go IV, 5-7 Thomas Christopher Torres,

VOL. 9 ISSUE 3 • TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

CO-MANAGERS. Christopher “Bong” Go (left) and co-team manager Glenn Escandor (right) flank former Ateneo coach Joe Lipa (center) during one of the previous cage tournaments in Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

TOP DRAW. Jeron Alvin Teng, whose father is legendary Dabawenyo PBA cager Alvin, will lead De La Salle in the Araw ng Davao tournament for CMO-TRMH. 6-5 Larry Muyang, and 6-5 John Winifred Gob II. Reserves Joshua Gonzales and Erick

Sock a are also in the lineup. Newly-acquired head coach Aldin V. Ayo, who steered Letran to the 2015 NCAA title, will call the

shots for the Hoteliers with assistants Glenn Capacio, Luis Jose Gonzales, Bethune Tanquingcen, Paolo Sauler, Austin Jeremy Erestain and Rommel Lantin. Escandor for his part also thanked La Salle for agreeing to play in this year’s tournament which will also include defending champion Montana Pawnshop, Goldstar Hardware, and a fourth squad yet to be named. “It was a very productive and smooth transaction with them. They also wanted to have some sort of a tune-up with other teams where they can learn lessons from,” said Escandor who brought in the San Beda Red Lions squad last year to represent the team.